Ideal Job or Unicorn Dance Party? VLOG #3

One big question for the day

OK. Now that I am nearing the end of my MBA, I have been giving more thought to finding a dream job. I keep asking myself if the ideal job really exists? In my dreams, there are unicorns and lolly pops dancing in the clouds and everyone is singing. But is that really where I want to work?

Unicorn Dance Party Express!

dream job or dance party?

I don’t like picking up animal poop, so working with animals is definitely out (even unicorns). I am a terrible singer (believe me, you would cry if I serenaded you in a VLOG), so musical theater is not a real option either. I am not sure what the symbolism of the lolly pop is, so I will simply ignore any possibility about working with candy.

Searching on career sites makes me dizzy. Besides, does anyone actually get hired off of a job board? How many versions of my resume do I really need? Urgh, this whole job thing is frustrating the heck out of me! I know what I don’t want to do. Now I have to decide what I do desire in a job.

Lesson learned?

Lately, I have been interviewing for different positions. Surprisingly, it has not yet hurt my ego. I believe in remaining authentic even during the hiring process because I don’t want to sell a possible employer a false package.

Wherever I go and whatever I do, I want to feel valued for my contribution. I know this is a recurring theme in my posts, but I don’t think that it can be overstated how critical it is to recognize value in your employees. People may not want to work with unicorns or dance in the cloud with lolly pops, but they do want to feel special.

What is your dream job? Does it involve mystical animals? Tell me your thoughts on the subject.

Related articles

• Why do people like unicorns (wiki.answers.com)
• I ♥ Unicorns (preshrunk.org)
• HOW TO GET A JOB that doesn’t exist. “Maybe you don’t know exactly what job you want. Maybe you a… (pajamasmedia.com)

Build business loyalty for the future #trust30

the sky is the limit

The secret of fortune is joy in our hands. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What if today, right now, no jokes at all, you were actually in charge, the boss, the Head Honcho. Write the “call to arms” note you’re sending to everyone (staff, customers, suppliers, Board) charting the path ahead for the next 12 months and the next 5 years. Now take this manifesto, print it out somewhere you can see, preferably in big letters you can read from your chair.

You’re just written your own job description. You know what you have to do. Go! (bonus: send it to the CEO with the title “The things we absolutely have to get right – nothing else matters.”) Author: Sasha Dichter

First a quick trip down memory lane

Let me start by saying I was the head-honcho, boss, etc. and it was not always so much fun. I owned and operated a bridal boutique for nearly 15 years (I worked for free for more than one of these years). Maybe it was because like most small businesses, I was usually cash poor, but as hard as I worked, it never seemed enough.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some terrific perks to being the boss which included: business paid my car and insurance payment, my hours were flexible, and I got to travel to different locales for buying trips. Basically, I did everything on my own terms.

The Character of a leader

Some light summer reading

There is something about spring that makes me want to re-evaluate life. Maybe its because as the weather  gets warmer, my family digs out all of the crap lying around all winter and donates/throws out/re-organizes things. Maybe because I am nearing the end of my studies in the MBA program at UNR (expected grad. Dec 2011!!). I find it is also a good time to dig deep into my psyche questioning what is really important to me?

Some classics revealed

I am currently taking a management class in summer school where I have been forced to read and read and read…classics such as Heart of Darkness, Death of a Salesman, and (swallow hard here) The Fountainhead. Although each book is written in a different format (novella, play, dreadfully long novel), they all convey a strong core message about leadership. These and other stories portrayed management styles that did not value the employee. The leadership teams rewarded productivity and as soon as the employee was no longer quite so valuable, he was discarded.

As a leader, what is important to you? What qualities do you want to be known for? Are you similar to Willy Loman or Peter Keating who treasured being liked above all? Their sense of self was tied to others perceptions of them. Perhaps you are comparable to Kurtz (hope not) and believe that you are above all rules? Are you void of personality like Howard Roark?

Lesson Learned: discover your style

Personally, I want to be known for being competitive yet fair, authoritative yet empathetic. It all starts from the top. The attributes in which you lead your employees is the way your employees will ultimately behave.

Spring is almost over. It is time for you to reach up, discover your nature and re-evaluate your style. Share your thoughts on leadership styles. What attributes do you believe contribute to a successful leader?

Do you work with intention?

When you wake up in the morning and get out of bed, what is the first thing you say to yourself? Is it,

• “Yay it is another day and I get to go to work”
• or is it more like “Hmmph, do I have to get up today?”